Maholm Goes The Distance Again, Bulldogs Rip 19 Hits In Series-Opening 15-4 Win At LSU
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Sophomore southpaw Paul Maholm tossed his third complete game in as many SEC starts this season and the Bulldogs matched a season high with 19 hits Friday night as Mississippi State (14-8-1, 4-3 SEC) belted Louisiana State 15-4 in the opening game of their three-game weekend series at Alex Box Stadium. MSU and LSU (16-12, 2-5 SEC) meet again Saturday at 2 p.m.
Maholm (5-1, 3-0 SEC) scattered 11 hits and blanked the Tigers from the fourth to the eighth innings en route to his fifth win of the season. The Bulldog defense assisted Maholm with three double plays in the first five innings.
Matthew Maniscalco reached on an error at shortstop to open the game and scored the game's first run on a double by Matthew Brinson.
LSU got three consecutive hits off Maholm to open the second and tied the game at 1-1 on Matt Heath's single to center field. But the Bulldogs regained the lead with four runs in the third and added another run in the fourth for a 6-3 lead that chased LSU starter Bo Pettit (2-4) from the game.
Brian Wilson followed Pettit on the mound in the fourth with runners at second and third and no outs. Wilson retired the next three Bulldog batters to end the MSU rally and kept Mississippi State off the scoreboard over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
But Mississippi State's bats came to life in the final two frames, plating five runs on five hits in the eighth and adding four more in the ninth to seal the MSU win. Brinson and Brent Lewis lashed two-run doubles in the eighth and Brinson added another two-run two-bagger in the ninth. Brinson finished the game with four hits, including a school record-tying three doubles, and a career-high six RBI.
Centerfielder Casey Long turned in his second consecutive 4-for-4 performance in an SEC game while Maniscalco scored four runs and extended his current hitting streak to a career best-matching 10 games with a three-hit plate performance.
Mississippi State used 16 players in the game, including all 15 position players.
Eric Wiethorn had three hits to pace LSU at the plate. Wally Pontiff went hitless in the game to end an impressive 19-game hitting streak.
Senior right-hander Tanner Brock (3-1, 3.90) and sophomore lefty Lane Mestepey (4-2, 3.52) are the scheduled starters for Saturday afternoon's game at Alex Box Stadium.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 15, LOUISIANA STATE 4MSU (14-8-1/4-3 SEC) 104 100 054 --- 15-19-1LSU (16-12/2-5 SEC) 012 000 001 --- 4-11-3WP -- Paul Maholm (5-1). LP -- Bo Pettit (24).HR -- none. T -- 3:02. ATT -- 4,627 (actual);7,726 (paid).